AM I THAT BAD?
by AK2
Summary: People seem to hate Ash. And for 5 main reasons too. FINALLY, Ash's reactions and opinions...


AM I THAT BAD?  
  
  
I am Ash Ketchum. The destined Pokemon Trainer. I am best friends with my first Pokemon, Pikachu. Pikachu and I travel with my friends Brock and Misty, and we make many Pokemon friends, and human friends. In our journey, Pikachu and I always try our best: in every battle, every struggle against Team Rocket, and we ALWAYS stop and help everybody whom we run into. It just feels like the right thing to help and care for somebody and their Pokemon. But some people don't seem to agree with me. Some thing I am wrong. Some FLAT OUT HATE ME! But why is that? These people, the older viewers of Pokemon, always se me as: stupid, lazy, and weak. But why? Why am I considered these things? Well, some of these reasons come from the following:  
  
1) I release my Pokemon when they are in a situation that they want to/it it best for them. Why am I hated for that? If Pokemon were real, and those viewers were Trainers, wouldn't THEY do that? Wouldn't THEY put their FRIENDS before their OWN personal goals? If not, wouldn't that make their Pokemon their SLAVES? I gave up Butterfree long ago so he could go mate. I can just imagine telling him: "No... you CAN'T have babies! YOU MUST STAY HERE AND BATTLE FOR ME! FORGET YOUR MATE, FORGET LIFE, FORGET LOVE!" Yeah, i'm SURE Butterfree would love me then. Next was Primeape. He had one the P-1 Grand Prix! He was so HAPPY to be a WINNER! So, it was up to me, keep him, and POSSIBLY never be in a P-1 Tournament EVER again, or... let Anthony a FIGHTING Trainer whom enters EVERY year take care of Primeape. Primeape was sad, but I get sad to whenever I leave my Mom to reach for my dream, and I know Primeape misses me, but is happy that he can now pursue his dream.  
  
Oh, there was Raticate and Haunter (he followed me, but still) but Raticate was a Pokemon I didn't even know, and traded back for my beloved friend Butterfree. Haunter whom followed me simply liked Sabrina ans stayed with her! Pikachu... Pikachu may have stayed with me, and I can feel in my heart that we will always be together, but when I was willing to let him leave, I was ONLY thinking about how happy he would be with the other Pikachu whom he was a hero amongst. Pidgeot was next, what was I supposed to do in this situation? Let the Fearow and Spearow MURDER the Pidgey and Pidgeotto!? I can imagine it now... their eyes being torn out, their small bodies oozing in blood all the way down those BIG trees. Pidgeot was also a natural born leader I learned that day, so it was only natural that I leave her behind to protect those of whom were weaker as Pokemon. Next was Lapras. Boy, Lapras. What can I say? When I GOT her I knew (and so should the viewer have) we would split up! Misty, Tracy, Pikachu and I all agreed that when we GOT her that we would get her back with her family and friends! So of course, I did. Telling Lapras: "YOU DON'T HAVE AN OPTION! STAY HERE YOU SLAVE OF A SURFBOARD!" would be the WORST thing I could EVER do! So leaving her, only seemed natural.  
  
Charizard left then. Even WHEN he didn't obey me, he loved to battle. He loved to battle as soon as I gave him strength as a Charmander, wheras he was considered "weak" when I first got him. Then the day came, after standing in water ALL night, and battlling to SEVERE pain, Charizard FINALLY had his chance- his chance for glory. I would NEVER forgive myself if I gave myself the right to take away HIS right as a living being to pursue happiness. Never. And then, Squirtle. I can imagine if I left Brock and Misty, and had a chance to return because they NEEDED me as the leader, only to be told by my Mother: "You can't BE with your friends anymore!" and when I ask "why?" beign answered with a roaring: "BECAUSE I SAID SO!" Letting Squirtle go was the only way to go... So when I let my Pokemon go, WHY am I hated for it? Isn't it only RIGHT that I am thinking of my Pokemon BEFORE my personal desires? Isn't it the RIGHT thing to do? Do viewers want a greedy Trainer who never let's ONE of their Pokemon go?  
  
2) The second reason I am hated is because I never "evolve my Pokemon". What the heck am I SUPPOSED to do? Hit them with a stick untill the day of pain for NOT evolving? Let's see, of my Pokemon that I COULD have had evolve: Pikachu. My best friend. Do best friends FORCE other's to change their bodies? People also hate me for not MAKING Pikachu go in his ball. That would be against his own free will. Does Pikachu TELL me to get a tattoo? Body piercing? Grow 10 years older and musular more advanced than I currently am *snap* just like that!? No. So, I have no right to do it to Pikachu. Besides, he is ALWAYS there for me, and is ALREADY my strongest Pokemon! Why should he have to evolve? He knows Thunder, Fighting moves, AND great Agility moves and dance moves ALONG with his GREAT Electric attacks, and nearly NEVER loses! Next is Bulbasaur, Bulbasaur chose not to evolve. SHOULD I have just stood there and let the Venusaur's Vine Whip hit Bulbasaur on impact? Imagine the PAIN he would be in! The SCREAMING "BULBAAAAAAA!" and hitting the ground, and crying. And then being FORCED to evolve on the spot right there! How would I be any different if I expected Bulbasaur to evolve? How would it be different for me to pull out a whip and whip him for not doing so? Besides, he knows Solar Beam and is my second most experienced Pokemon. Why should he have to evolve? Then there was Squirtle. (when I had him) Squirtle held his LAST pit of pride in the Squirtle Squad, where they proved that they as SQUIRTLE'S weren't that "weal". Vanadalism and tricks were their choices. And as the LEADER of the Squirtle Squad, I can see why, with those shades, Squirtle wouldn't want to evolve. It would be like abandoning his gang! I can imagine his gang at the reunion calling my Wartortle or Blastoise: "TRAITOR! YOU LIED TO US! YOU PROMISED YOU WOULD NEVR CHANGE!". Or the leader of Team Wartortle mocking him: "Heh. Couldn't stay a Squritle to keep up the guns, eh pal? Heh heh heh." Even AFTER Squirtle proved himself to the leader of Team Wartortle that he can do ANYTHING as a Squirtle! And even put up a good fight on Squirtle Island. He has his image, and had it when he left too. How dare I try to change that. ALL of my Pokemon decided not to evolve for individual reasons. I have no reason to ignore those reasons. No reason at all. Do the viewers want me to have a full team of 6 that are fully evolved? Will that gain me respect? I don't care. I want my POKEMON to live how they physicly want.  
  
3. I'm next hated because of how I got my Indigo League Badges. You know what? I doubted it at first for each one, but I EARN'T each Badge! How many of YOU would back down the chance to defeat Brock's Onix, even WITH his siblings watching in sadness? How many of YOU would let Team Rocket suck up all the water in the Cerulean pool? How many of YOU would force your Pokemon to evolve so you could win a Badge? How many of YOU would foolishly spend the rest of eternity endlessly and boundlessly attempting to catch a Ghost Pokemon in the haunted house in Lavander when your Pokemon don't have the exp? How many of you would let the Celadon Gym burn down? How many of you would let Team Rocket steal the Fuschia Gym Pokemon? How many of YOU would let Team Rocket put Cinnibar Island under molten lava? Or give up when your body is being shocked by MANY volts of electricity when you came so far and needed one more Badge. Some of you would say yes. THAT disgusts me. Some of you would say no, well you know what? THAT'S WHAT I DID! And yet BOTH groups of you, the greedy and the kind, BOTH hate me for those choices? There's MORE to earning a badge than Pokemon Battles, and those choices were what also count in getting Badges.  
  
4. I'm next hated because I never use my Pokemon at Prof. Oak's. I simply must say, I only DO it because I am so close to the Pokemon on my team, that I couldn't STAND to swap one of them! I must admit, I do feel guilty for when Krabby felt lonely, but look now! Kingler LOVES it at Prof. Oak's! Muk alos LOVES Prof. Oak! My Tauros love the running space! Snorlax loves the fruit! And Heracross loves all the sap! I couldn't offer all of those personal happiness tools when they were with me. Prof. Oak can. No thank you, i'll let my Pokemon be happy instead of traveling in a PokeBall all the time with me.  
  
5. And finally, "I never catch any Pokemon." You know what? "Gotta Catch Em All!" is FINE for the games, or for somebody who uses Pokemon to win battles. But I'M not like that. I catch Pokemon to make friends. Deal with it. As you have seen in the past, Pikachu and I LOVE to travel and just WATCH nature! Not steal it! When I DO catch a Pokemon, I am happy. But I don't RAPE the Earth by catching everything that moves! Unlike Gary, no manner HOW much he has changed... In fact:  
  
I caught Pikachu as my first Pokemon. Caterpie and Pidgeotto after beginner's excitement. Bulbasaur becasue Melanie told me how he needed a Trainer. Charmander because he needed a KIND Trainer to take care of him. Squirtle so he could have a Trainer and stop playing tricks on people in the Squirtle Squad. Misty and Brock angered me, so Krabby WAS out of anger. Raticate was curiosity. Haunter followed. Primeape was to prove to Prof. Oak, my friends, my Pokemon, Gary, and ME that I CAN catch a Pokemon! Muk, because I DO admire strong Pokemon. All my Tauros so the Safari Zone wouldn't go bare by too many rare or different kinds of Pokemon being caught.   
  
I caught Lapras after she started to trust me-so I could help her find her family. I caught Snorlax to save an island from destruction. Heracross followed me after I saved his life. After keeping her warm all night, and searching in a blizzard for her, Chikorita followed me (and gained a crush on me too...). I saved Cyndaquil from a humongous blast. And I caught Totodile because I wanted to complete my neat little G/S Starter collection. And finally, Noctowl is smaller, different colored, shiny, and has different attacks than otehr Noctowl. Incredibly rare and maybe one of a kind too! I COULDN'T take up the once in a life time chance to catch it! So THAT is why I caught the Pokemon I have, and have so little.  
  
And you know what? I'm PROUD of the 5 things I do that you all hate me for! YOU WOULD ALL MAKE CRUEL AND HORRIBLE TRAINERS! HOW DARE YOU ONLY THINK OF YOURSELVES AND NOT OTHERS! I'm PROUD that you all hate me! Because being hated by you means I have a heart, and you all hate people who have hearts, and I PROUDLY weild my heart. TOO BAD I'M NOT THE 251 POKEMON OWNING, TEAM OF 6 FINAL EVOLVED FORM LEGENDARY POKEMON OWNING TRAINER THAT YOU ALL WANT ME TO BE! I am a kind, caring, and loving Trainer. My name is Ash Ketchum. And you're stuck with me, so love me or get lost. Because I will NEVER change the kindness in my heart MERELY due to hate remarks... never.... 


End file.
